Langbeats
Tout in haut de ch’terril – Renaud

Renaud

Tout in haut de ch’terril lyrics with English translation

Language
French
Level
Intermediate
Released
1993
Genre
Pop
Length
4:49
  1. Dins chés corons queu r'mue-ménache

    In the pits that shake up the ground

  2. Chés mineurs vienn't' d'avoir leu congés

    The miners just got their leave

  3. Prenn't' leu valisses et partent voyager

    They take their bags and set off to roam

  4. A la campagne ou vir leu parinté

    To the countryside where they visit their kin

  5. Mi comme el'z'autes j'prinds mes bagaches

    Like the others, I grab my baggage

  6. Ej' m'in vas mais j'quitte pont min pat'lin

    I'm heading out but leaving my hometown behind

  7. J'vos du pays v'là l'manière que j'm'y prinds

    I tell you, here's how I get by

  8. Sans débourser un sou d'train

    Without spending a dime on trains

  1. Ej' passe mes vacances tout in haut de ch'terril

    I spend my vacation high up on that hill

  2. J'a toudis d'la chance ch'terrain i'est jamais pris

    I've always been lucky, that land is never taken

  3. J'monte eum'toile ed'tente, j'vis tout seul, ej' m'arrinche

    I climb up to the starry sky, I live all alone, and I settle down

  4. Ej'siffle, ej'ris, ej'cante, ej'sus heureux d'faire du campinche

    I whistle, I laugh, I sing, I’m happy to be camping

  5. Je m'fais la popotte, j'vis bien miux qu'à l'hôtel

    I cook for myself, I live better than in a hotel

  6. J'mets comme les cocottes du rouche à mes ortels

    I put on the red flannel like the little chicks for my garden

  7. Du haut dé m'couplette jé m'cros à Chambéry

    From the top of my little peak, I see myself in Chambéry

  8. Mais Jé n'suis qu'au faîte tout in haut de ch'terril

    But I'm only at the very top of this hill

  9. Comme point d'vue faut vir ch'que j'degotte

    From this viewpoint, I can see all that I gather

  10. Les bos, les prairies des environs

    The woods, the meadows around

  11. Chés villaches, chés villes, nou corons

    Those little towns, those cities in our area

  12. Et je m'rinche l'œul cha n'me coûte pas un rond

    And I close my eyes, it doesn’t cost me a dime

  13. Sus min fu d'bos j'fais tout m'gargotte

    Under the min farm, I do all my eating

  14. Viandox, peumes tierre frites, morcieau d'lard

    Beef extract, fried potatoes, a piece of bacon

  15. Et j'a monté trint'chinq lites ed'pinard

    And I’ve climbed thirty-five layers of spinach

  16. Pour mi chucher in père peinard

    To quietly chat with my father

  17. Ej' passe mes vacances tout in haut de ch'terril

    I spend my holidays up high on the hill

  18. J'a toudis d'la chance d'vir ch'que j'vos ch'est à mi

    I always have the chance to see what you are to me

  19. Quand arrife eul'soir, ej'vos v'nir d'z'amoureux

    When evening arrives, I come to you, my love

  20. I z'attindent qu'i fèche noir, mais mi je n'les quitte pos des yeux

    They wait for the sky to darken, but I never take my eyes off them

  21. I vont s'inlaçant, s'dijant des balivernes

    They intertwine, speaking nonsense to each other

  22. Tout in s'imbrassant dins chés blés, dins ch'luzerne

    All embracing among the wheat, in the lucerne

  23. I's font des papoules in s'app'lant "mon chéri"

    They're making a fuss calling me 'my darling'

  24. Et mi j'vos tout cha d'tout in haut de ch'terril

    And I tell you all about it on top of that hill

  25. Mais avant hier j'n'a pont eu d'chance

    But the day before yesterday, I didn't have any luck

  26. D'un seul cop vlà qu'i s'met à pluvoir

    Out of the blue, here comes the rain

  27. J'rinte à l'abri d'zous min perchoir

    I ran for shelter under my perch

  28. Em'tente all pichot, ch'tot pire qu'un arrousoir

    Listen to me, little one, it's worse than a watering can

  29. Alors j'a poussé la romance

    So I pushed the romance

  30. J'a sorti pour m'éviter l'cafard

    I brought it out to fend off the blues

  31. Et j'a fluté chinq six lites eud'pinard

    And I played a little tune for a bit of spinach

  32. In berloquant comme un pochar

    Swinging around like a nutcase

  33. J'a dégringolé tout in bas de ch'terril

    I tumbled all the way down that hill

  34. Arrivé au pied jé m'sus rèl'vé tout meurtri

    Arriving at the bottom, I stood up all battered and bruised

  35. J'sais pus quo qu'j'a fait, j'avos tell'mint eun'cuite

    I don't even know what I did, I was so out of it

  36. A l'pache de m'barette j'avos sus m'tiête euch'codron à frites

    At the edge of my beer, I had that fryer grease on my mind

  37. A forche ed'bourler m'panche sus des caillaux

    With a fork of destiny, I leaned against the stones

  38. Y a eun'certain'plache i m'in manquot un morcieau

    There's a certain place where I'm missing a piece

  39. J'y a mis un bout d'loque j'sus pos prêt d'ête gueri

    I put a rag there, I'm ready to be healed

  40. Et j'sus armonté tout in haut de ch'terril

    And I've climbed all the way to the top of that hill

  41. Alors' pindant trente ans l'mineur-campeur il n'quitte pis sin cher terril,

    So for thirty years, the miner camper never leaves his dear hill,

  42. Minme pinsionné il y va comme au passé. Seul'mint aujoud'hui i'est

    Even retired, he goes there like it’s the past. Only today, he's still

  43. Malate, el'fosse all'l'a usé. I'est dins sin lit et les larmes aux yux in ravisant

    Malate, the pit has worn it out. I'm in my bed with tears in my eyes, dreaming.

  44. A travers ech'carreau, i dit tout bas

    Through the window, he whispers softly.

  45. Comme cha va vite comme eul'temps passe

    How quickly it goes, how the time flies.

  46. Au terril j'a campé bin d'z'années

    In the dump, I've camped for many years.

  47. A ch't'heure i faut l'abandonner

    At this hour, I must let it go.

  48. Jé n'sus pus qu'un viux mineur pinsionné

    I'm just an old retired miner now.

  49. Et j'n'a pus qu'des oches dins m'carcasse

    And I have only shadows left in my body.

  50. J'sus vieilli mes gampes sont ramolies

    I've aged, my limbs have gone soft.

  51. Et de l'fermiète in étant dins min lit

    And from the little farm, I'm lying in my bed.

  52. In l'ravisant j'dis ch'est fini

    In my dream, I say it's over.

  53. J'mon'tra plus jamais tout in haut de ch'terril

    I'll never show everything at the top of this hill again

  54. Fini désormais l'méd'cin j'l'ai ben compris

    The medicine's done, I've understood it well

  55. Par quarante ans d'fond mes poumons i'ont quite cosse

    For forty years deep, my lungs have been quite empty

  56. L'poussière eud'carbon in appelle cha la silicosse

    The dust of carbon is what they call silicosis

  57. Ch'est bétot min tour ed'partir comme tant d'viux

    It's a bit like my turn to leave, like so many old folks

  58. D'faire un long séjour là auprès du Bon Dieu

    To take a long stay up there with the Good Lord

  59. J'espère qu'i m'laich'ra quand j's'rai au Paradis

    I hope He'll let me in when I'm in Paradise

  60. Cor' v'nir in vavances tout in haut d'min terril

    Come visit me on vacation at the top of my hill

  61. J'espère qu'i m'laich'ra quand j's'rai au Paradis

    I hope He'll let me in when I'm in Paradise

  62. Cor' v'nir in vavances tout in haut d'min terril

    Come visit me on vacation at the top of my hill

Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Key vocabulary

pied
footA1
pire
worseA1
pont
bridgeA1
prêt
readyA1
quitte
leaveA1
séjour
stayA1
seul
aloneA1
sorti
outA1
tant
so muchA1
tour
towerA1

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About this song

Renaud (Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan) is a French singer-songwriter. He is known for French-language chanson rooted in regional dialects and for topping French album and single charts across multiple decades, including award-winning releases such as “Boucan d’enfer” and “Toujours debout.”

More songs by Renaud

More Intermediate Music to Learn French

🇫🇷 Renaud

Tout in haut de ch’terril

Dins chés corons queu r'mue-ménache

In the pits that shake up the ground

Chés mineurs vienn't' d'avoir leu congés

The miners just got their leave

Prenn't' leu valisses et partent voyager

They take their bags and set off to roam

A la campagne ou vir leu parinté

To the countryside where they visit their kin

Mi comme el'z'autes j'prinds mes bagaches

Like the others, I grab my baggage

Ej' m'in vas mais j'quitte pont min pat'lin

I'm heading out but leaving my hometown behind

J'vos du pays v'là l'manière que j'm'y prinds

I tell you, here's how I get by

Sans débourser un sou d'train

Without spending a dime on trains

Ej' passe mes vacances tout in haut de ch'terril

I spend my vacation high up on that hill

J'a toudis d'la chance ch'terrain i'est jamais pris

I've always been lucky, that land is never taken

J'monte eum'toile ed'tente, j'vis tout seul, ej' m'arrinche

I climb up to the starry sky, I live all alone, and I settle down

Ej'siffle, ej'ris, ej'cante, ej'sus heureux d'faire du campinche

I whistle, I laugh, I sing, I’m happy to be camping

Je m'fais la popotte, j'vis bien miux qu'à l'hôtel

I cook for myself, I live better than in a hotel

J'mets comme les cocottes du rouche à mes ortels

I put on the red flannel like the little chicks for my garden

Du haut dé m'couplette jé m'cros à Chambéry

From the top of my little peak, I see myself in Chambéry

Mais Jé n'suis qu'au faîte tout in haut de ch'terril

But I'm only at the very top of this hill

Comme point d'vue faut vir ch'que j'degotte

From this viewpoint, I can see all that I gather

Les bos, les prairies des environs

The woods, the meadows around

Chés villaches, chés villes, nou corons

Those little towns, those cities in our area

Et je m'rinche l'œul cha n'me coûte pas un rond

And I close my eyes, it doesn’t cost me a dime

Sus min fu d'bos j'fais tout m'gargotte

Under the min farm, I do all my eating

Viandox, peumes tierre frites, morcieau d'lard

Beef extract, fried potatoes, a piece of bacon

Et j'a monté trint'chinq lites ed'pinard

And I’ve climbed thirty-five layers of spinach

Pour mi chucher in père peinard

To quietly chat with my father

Ej' passe mes vacances tout in haut de ch'terril

I spend my holidays up high on the hill

J'a toudis d'la chance d'vir ch'que j'vos ch'est à mi

I always have the chance to see what you are to me

Quand arrife eul'soir, ej'vos v'nir d'z'amoureux

When evening arrives, I come to you, my love

I z'attindent qu'i fèche noir, mais mi je n'les quitte pos des yeux

They wait for the sky to darken, but I never take my eyes off them

I vont s'inlaçant, s'dijant des balivernes

They intertwine, speaking nonsense to each other

Tout in s'imbrassant dins chés blés, dins ch'luzerne

All embracing among the wheat, in the lucerne

I's font des papoules in s'app'lant "mon chéri"

They're making a fuss calling me 'my darling'

Et mi j'vos tout cha d'tout in haut de ch'terril

And I tell you all about it on top of that hill

Mais avant hier j'n'a pont eu d'chance

But the day before yesterday, I didn't have any luck

D'un seul cop vlà qu'i s'met à pluvoir

Out of the blue, here comes the rain

J'rinte à l'abri d'zous min perchoir

I ran for shelter under my perch

Em'tente all pichot, ch'tot pire qu'un arrousoir

Listen to me, little one, it's worse than a watering can

Alors j'a poussé la romance

So I pushed the romance

J'a sorti pour m'éviter l'cafard

I brought it out to fend off the blues

Et j'a fluté chinq six lites eud'pinard

And I played a little tune for a bit of spinach

In berloquant comme un pochar

Swinging around like a nutcase

J'a dégringolé tout in bas de ch'terril

I tumbled all the way down that hill

Arrivé au pied jé m'sus rèl'vé tout meurtri

Arriving at the bottom, I stood up all battered and bruised

J'sais pus quo qu'j'a fait, j'avos tell'mint eun'cuite

I don't even know what I did, I was so out of it

A l'pache de m'barette j'avos sus m'tiête euch'codron à frites

At the edge of my beer, I had that fryer grease on my mind

A forche ed'bourler m'panche sus des caillaux

With a fork of destiny, I leaned against the stones

Y a eun'certain'plache i m'in manquot un morcieau

There's a certain place where I'm missing a piece

J'y a mis un bout d'loque j'sus pos prêt d'ête gueri

I put a rag there, I'm ready to be healed

Et j'sus armonté tout in haut de ch'terril

And I've climbed all the way to the top of that hill

Alors' pindant trente ans l'mineur-campeur il n'quitte pis sin cher terril,

So for thirty years, the miner camper never leaves his dear hill,

Minme pinsionné il y va comme au passé. Seul'mint aujoud'hui i'est

Even retired, he goes there like it’s the past. Only today, he's still

Malate, el'fosse all'l'a usé. I'est dins sin lit et les larmes aux yux in ravisant

Malate, the pit has worn it out. I'm in my bed with tears in my eyes, dreaming.

A travers ech'carreau, i dit tout bas

Through the window, he whispers softly.

Comme cha va vite comme eul'temps passe

How quickly it goes, how the time flies.

Au terril j'a campé bin d'z'années

In the dump, I've camped for many years.

A ch't'heure i faut l'abandonner

At this hour, I must let it go.

Jé n'sus pus qu'un viux mineur pinsionné

I'm just an old retired miner now.

Et j'n'a pus qu'des oches dins m'carcasse

And I have only shadows left in my body.

J'sus vieilli mes gampes sont ramolies

I've aged, my limbs have gone soft.

Et de l'fermiète in étant dins min lit

And from the little farm, I'm lying in my bed.

In l'ravisant j'dis ch'est fini

In my dream, I say it's over.

J'mon'tra plus jamais tout in haut de ch'terril

I'll never show everything at the top of this hill again

Fini désormais l'méd'cin j'l'ai ben compris

The medicine's done, I've understood it well

Par quarante ans d'fond mes poumons i'ont quite cosse

For forty years deep, my lungs have been quite empty

L'poussière eud'carbon in appelle cha la silicosse

The dust of carbon is what they call silicosis

Ch'est bétot min tour ed'partir comme tant d'viux

It's a bit like my turn to leave, like so many old folks

D'faire un long séjour là auprès du Bon Dieu

To take a long stay up there with the Good Lord

J'espère qu'i m'laich'ra quand j's'rai au Paradis

I hope He'll let me in when I'm in Paradise

Cor' v'nir in vavances tout in haut d'min terril

Come visit me on vacation at the top of my hill

J'espère qu'i m'laich'ra quand j's'rai au Paradis

I hope He'll let me in when I'm in Paradise

Cor' v'nir in vavances tout in haut d'min terril

Come visit me on vacation at the top of my hill

Tout in haut de ch’terril

🇫🇷 Renaud
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